College is on everybody's mind lately, with applications due soon, rising tuition prices, and a certain Newsweek article about how college should last only three years.(If you ask me, college should last forever.) Teen Ink's annual College Issue came out this month, and you'll definitely want to check it out, whether you're a student, teacher, or just a Teen Ink fan looking for our array of quality teen art and writing. If you haven't subscribed yet, you definitely need to get on that! Here are a few of my favorite picks from the College Issue:

"2400 in Life" by Emily Chang humorously argues that the SAT can never represent a student's full range of accomplishments and intelligence. Truer words were never spoken! Framed as a letter to a potential university, this piece paints a vivid picture of everything a well-rounded student can be.

There's a great collection of college essays in the November issue, too. If you're worried about your own personal statement, this is a great place to get inspiration and just read some great stories. Two standout essays are "The Cruelty of Umbrellas" by Molly Pelavin and "In Search of Everything" by Kelsey O'Callahan.

Teen Ink's College Directory is an amazing resource for high school students researching potential schools You'll find it on pages 22 and 23, and it's definitely an invaluable resource with dozens of listed colleges. We even have a version on our website!

We've also devoted a large portion of Teen Ink to our usual diverse collection of stories, essays, poetry, reviews and artwork.

"Why Baba Hates Chicken" by Jenny Liu is a touching recount of her father's immigration to the US from China. She captures an important milestone in her own life, when she begins to understand the sacrifices her father made in order to give her a chance at a better life.

In "Deep Blue Sea," Joshua Whitley describes his surfing encounter with the perfect wave in a fast-paced, engaging style that's sure to appeal to everyone.

In the review section, Megan Duff gives kudos to Bon Iver's album "To Emma, Forever Ago," an atmospheric, melancholy indie masterpiece, and Charlotte Garrett argues that South Park has substance as well as sailor-mouthed style.

If you haven't yet, subscribe to Teen Ink Magazine and get all the college info you could ever need in one handy, colorful, portable package. You'll be on your way to your alma mater in no time.

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